Software Engineering FdSc

Developed in close collaboration with BAE Systems, this foundation degree will prepare you for a career developing software solutions in a variety of areas such as: computer networking, security, image and signal processing, embedded real-time system development, web, applications, graphics, mobile devices and games. You’ll develop skills in the creation of software and digital systems and explore modern approaches to project management, teamwork and interaction with clients, users and managers. The practical approach enables you to apply the ideas and techniques in your work environment but provides the academic basis for you to top-up to an Honours Degree, preparing you for an exciting career in this rapidly growing industry.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Entry Requirements

Our typical offer is 96UCAS Points at A-Level or BTEC. We operate a flexible admissions policy and treat everyone as an individual. This means that we will take into consideration your educational achievements and predicted grades (where applicable) together with your application as a whole, including work experience and personal statement.

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Year 2

Learning Environment and Assessment

A 3 year degree qualification typically comprises 360 credits and each 20 credit (a standard module) equates to 200 hours of study, which comprises of a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical sessions and independent study. Independent study is an important aspect of your degree course. The exact combination of study time will be detailed within your module descriptors, and will depend on your option choices.

As a Software Engineering programme, much of the assessment is based around developing software or IT systems, ensuring you have the practical skills you require in industry. However, exams and reports are used to ensure you have the understanding of theory and critical ability to cope with the rapid changes in hardware and software technology and development tools and ideas.

A key feature of the programme is the second year team project, which will help you develop techniques applicable to industrial system development.

Industry Links

This programme has been developed in discussion with BAE Systems to meet the needs of organisations developing complex software, including integration with special-purpose hardware.

Members of the course team have developed software commercially and managed teams of developers.

In addition to the highly technical programme, the University offers opportunities such as a year-long Young Leaders’ programme and a 3-day Cyprus-based leadership training and support for short or long industrial placements to help you enhance your employability.

Professional Accreditation

This is a new programme, but we will be seeking accreditation from the BCS, the professional body for computing at the next opportunity.

Progression Routes

The graduates of this programme will have additional hardware design skills, so they can work on demanding real-time software interfacing to special-purpose hardware. Students will have the opportunity to progress to Honours in 1 year full-time, longer part-time.

Opportunities

Work experience and international opportunities

Students should be working in a computing environment, and the course will encourage them to share their experiences and practices.

Suitable candidates may be able to undertake this course as part of a Higher Apprenticeship with BAE Systems.

Graduate careers

Software engineers typically seek employment in software development roles, progressing to senior technical roles, project or department management. Software engineers are expected to have a range of skills and an ability to learn quickly so that they can be employed as developers of any kind of software.

Further Information for students

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Central Lancashire on our Student Contract page.

Entry Requirements

For changes to 2017 UCAS tariff entry requirements please see our Essential and Important Course Information. UCLan requires all undergraduate applicants to have a minimum attainment of five GCSEs at grade C and above, or equivalent, (including Maths and English). In 2017 and beyond we will view the new Grade 4 as being equivalent to a C grade and will therefore require students to achieve GCSE Grade 4 or above. However, if the subject is relevant to our degree programme and requires a higher GCSE grade (e.g. GCSE B grade), and/or includes a Professional body that governs the entry requirements, Grade 5 or above may be required.